The Country Management Team (CMT) of Global Xchange in Bangladesh organized an “Experience Sharing and Certificate Ceremony” programme for the Global Xchange Team-79 on Sunday 1st March 2009 at 11:00 am in the British Council Auditorium, 5 Fullar Road, Dhaka University Campus. Global Xchange is a youth programme managed and delivered by the British Council and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in partnership with two implementing partners Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) and Nagorik Uddyog (Citizen Initiative). It aims to deliver international volunteer exchanges and other activities that develop and inspire active global citizens.
The programme was arranged with a view to sharing the experience and achievement of UK and Bangladeshi Volunteers those who worked in both countries for 6 months. The GX Programme was held between Caithness, UK and Chittagong, Bangladesh. A team consists of 18 young (aged 18-27) people 9 (3 male 6 female) from UK and 9 (3 male 6 female) from Bangladesh. The volunteers were recruited, and the teams are formed, to reflect diversity in terms of geography, ethnicity, ability, education and gender.
The Volunteers lived with host families and worked in host communities for 3 months in the UK and 3 months in Bangladesh. One volunteer from UK and one volunteer from exchange country stayed together with a host home during the exchange in both countries. It has given them a real experience of other countries family lifestyle and local culture from the communities. They will also work with an Organization in both countries to get experience for their future life. Global Xchange is designed as a fully reciprocal volunteer programme, involving cross-cultural partnerships in every aspect of our work.
Director, British Council, Bangladesh
For better involvement in the programme, the authority supported the volunteers through trained and experienced Programme Supervisors. The supervisors facilitated the volunteers for community learning duration the exchange.
Mr. Ehsan Ul Fattah, Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh addressed as Chief Guest in the Programme. In his speech he shared that this is a grate opportunity for you to represent own country and has given you to share and gathered experience from each other’s culture, social values, norms and practices which will enhance and develop your tolerance and respect to others. He requested them to involve in community work after returning to Home County.
H.E Stephen Evans, British High Commissioner in Bangladesh, Dhaka also addressed in the meeting as Special Guest. He shared that once he was also volunteers and worked for the welfare of the community.
At the beginning Mr. Charles Nuttall, Director, British Council of Bangladesh welcomed all for attending in the programme and thanked all volunteers for their effortless contribution to GX Programme.
In the programme, the UK and Bangladeshi 4 volunteers shared their experience with the audience what they have learned from the both phase. As shared in the programme they have learned a lot of things from host family, working placement organization, community people and their counterpart volunteers. This learning will help them to be a global citizen.
Md. Arifur Rahman, Chief Executive, Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) and the Line Manager of GX Programme, Mr. Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive, Nagorik Uddyog also addressed in the programme and shared their activities and responsibility as implementing partners of GX Programme. Ms. Shahana Hayat, Country Director, Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) conveyed thanks to Honorable Guests, parents and all volunteers for their support to implement the GX Programme in Bangladesh and concluded the programme.
At the end of the programme the volunteers presented a video on their activities and learning.
